1. All About Motocross
Motocross is a sport whose popularity is rapidly growing around the world. With more and more motocross riders becoming well-known extreme athletes, motocross has never been bigger. Motocross is such a physical sport that it requires a rider to have control over his body and his bike at the same time. It's important to know about injuries that are common to motocross riders like injuries to the wrists, ankles and neck and to take protective measures to prevent ankle sprains in motocross.
2. Wearing Protective Gear
Wearing protective motocross shoes and boots can be beneficial to your ankles. Both shoes and boots should fit your ankle snugly without pinching your foot. Buy boots that go up over the ankle to give it support, or look for shoes with extra support on the sides. Some ankle boots have side inserts for extra protection and stability to prevent ankle sprains. Motocross footwear is made with special grooves in the sole to fit the bike's foot pedal. Wear these specially designed boots to prevent your foot from slipping off the pedal.
3. Making a Proper Landing
Whether it's part of a stunt or an accidental fall, landing motocross dismounts the wrong way could severely sprain your ankle. Avoid tricky jumps off the bike; if they have to be part of your routine, try to roll when you land instead of landing on your feet. Landing straight on your feet could result in a broken ankle or stretched or torn ligaments and tendons if you misjudge the angle or distance and land badly. Work on a practice track and practice your dismounts at slower speeds until you have mastered motocross dismounts.
4. Braces Help
Wear an ankle brace under your motocross boots to give your ankle extra support. Ankle braces come in many varieties that can be beneficial. Wrap-around or pull-on fabric braces can be applied quickly and easily before a race and will give the ankle extra support. Fabric braces cushion and support ankle muscles without restricting your movement. More rigid braces with stabilizer inserts make the ankle more immobile, which may be beneficial if your ankles are already weak from previous damage or injury.
5. Get Strong
Improving ankle strength will benefit you as a rider because a strong lower body gives you more control over the bike and make your muscles and joints less vulnerable to injury. Work lower-body exercises into your regular workout routine. Wear ankle weights to give your ankles extra conditioning when you train.
